Prison Island
Prison Island (監獄島, Kangokutō) is an area in Xenoblade Chronicles. At the middle of the story progression, during the first visits, it is a floating island in Eryth Sea, on Bionis' head. At the end of the game, the Prison Island lies into the Bionis' head, with several changes involving locations and landmarks, enemies as well as the Collectables and Heart-to-Hearts availabilities. Prison Island (Mid-game) Prison Island is a floating island in Eryth Sea, on Bionis' head. Shulk visits the island when Metal Face is about to invade Eryth Sea, along with the Mechon. There are no collectables, Unique Monsters or Heart-to-Hearts. All of the transporters cannot function, since it is a small area. Instead, the party leader has to use the dark transporters, which will take them up to the next floor. There are only three floors on Prison Island during the early visit: GF, 4F and 6F. After the events at the Mechonis Core, this area becomes completely inaccessible and cannot be accessed through skip travel either. But can still be viewed from the area screen. However, a brand new area with the same name becomes accessible upon entering the dark transporter in the Bionis' Interior. It is the same Prison Island, but is completely separate from this Prison Island in the game's coding. As such, it has a different map design, the model is slightly different, it is treated as a different area, and is more explorable. Weather After the cutscene involving Sorean releasing the seal on Zanza on Prison Island, the weather on Eryth Sea and Prison Island will all transition to a permanent thunderstorm on a random hour of when the next weather change occurs in the game, if the weather is not already thunderstorm. Advancing the time in the game will instantly make the weather change to thunderstorm. However this weather can be changed by travelling in another area like Alcamoth, changing time and weather there (Shooting Stars), then coming back to until the conditions leading to the permanent thunderstorm described above are met again. The permanent thunderstorm weather effect will remain in Eryth Sea and Prison Island until after defeating Metal Face. Story It is named Prison Island because in legend, the ancestors of the High Entia imprisoned something here. Soon after departing Colony 6, Shulk has a vision of the terrace, and that the Monado easily slashes through Metal Face's armour. Because of this, he decides to travel here to boost the Monado's power. When he arrives with his party, they head up to the top and find a chained giant, Zanza. Shulk frees the giant, who releases the Monado's power in return, transforming it into the Monado II. Not long afterwards, Metal Face arrives and shoots Zanza and slashes Sorean Antiqua, killing both the giant and the High Entia Emperor. Just as the party is about to defeat Metal Face, Face Nemesis jumps in the way. The armor is damaged, revealing that this Faced Mechon is Fiora, who flies away with Metal Face. Shulk and his friends leave Prison Island, planning to head to Sword Valley and find Fiora. Purpose When first mentioned, Prison Island is said to be a floating prison under High Entia Imperial jurisdiction. But it later becomes clear that there is only one prisoner — Zanza in the body of the giant, Arglas. Its only accessible interior room is an entrance path with an opulent staircase and demonic decor. Zanza does not live in this vast interior, but instead was long chained on a high terrace. Furthermore, the High Entia admit that Prison Island was not built by them, but has existed for a very long time. Landmarks and Locations ; Landmarks Landmarks GF * High Entia Transporter * Prison Gate Landmarks 6F * Prison Terrace ; Locations Locations GF * Central Hall Locations 4F * Great Canyon Enemies Minor Enemies * Eques Skyray * Emeraude Nebula * Saldox Nebula Boss * Metal Face Prison Island (End-game) Prison Island was originally above the Bionis' head, however Zanza has sunk the island into the Bionis' head. It serves as the last area in the game that can be used for skip travel. The only way to accessing Prison Island within the Bionis' head for the first time, is to use the dark transporter inside the Bionis' heart in the Bionis' Interior, which can be done after defeating Disciple Lorithia. The dark transporter in the Bionis' Interior appears identical to the ones that were used on Prison Island before the Bionis' Awakening. Unlike when Prison Island was located above the Bionis' head, it is now filled with collectables, Heart-to-Hearts and Unique Monsters. Prison Island Revisited After Bionis awakens, Prison Island sinks into its head. After defeating Lorithia at Bionis' Interior, Shulk and his party use the dark transporter to reach here, intending to defeat Dickson. The map is different to the first time they visit, and many more areas are accessible. Eventually they reach the terrace, where they fight Dickson. Upon victory, they move into a dark transporter in which looks very different to the one at the entrance to reach Memory Space, ready to confront Zanza. Changes The Eques Skyrays seen flying around Prison Island while it was above Eryth Sea are now replaced with Newgate Laias, the Nebulae that appeared on Prison Island while it was above Eryth Sea have been replaced with stronger types of Nebulae and new enemies have also appeared on all floors. Most of the brand new enemies that have appeared seem to be based off mythological beasts and appear very different than the other enemies found in the game, such as Egels in which seem to resemble gargoyles. Collectables can now be found on Prison Island. Previously the exterior paths experienced the same weather as Eryth Sea, but now the weather on Prison Island is always fair. The Prison Terrace landmark cannot be used for quick travel, and the dark transporters used by the party before the Bionis' Awakening no longer appear on Prison Island, cutting off the original route between floors GF, 4F, and 6F. Other transporters that had been non-functional during the first visit now work, giving access to the remaining floors 1F, 2F, 3F, and 5F. In addition, an upper walkway on GF can now be reached via the Kitchen on 1F, and two secret rooms on the main level of GF can now be opened. Purpose Since Prison Island has become more thoroughly explorable, it becomes clear from the layout, the banquet hall and the throne room, that it was probably never meant as a prison at all, but was actually someone's palace. The decor (and the size of the rooms, furniture and flatware) are all of Giant architecture. Since Arglas was a Giant under Zanza's control, and Dickson is a Giant disciple of Zanza, Prison Island may have been a Giant palace or city, appropriated for the use of Zanza's disciples. Secret Rooms On the final visit to Prison Island, secret rooms with Giants' Treasure Chests can be found, but they are only accessible when the Bone Pillar has been lowered. If the Bone Pillar has already been raised, it can be lower again by activating the same panel. To get to this panel the Kitchen must be re-entered, requiring the Kitchen Door Key from the hall south of the Arena. Landmarks and Locations ; Landmarks Landmarks GF * Bridge of Grief * Prison Gate Landmarks 3F * Empty Throne Landmarks 5F * Gondorl Cathedral Landmarks 6F * Prison Terrace ; Locations Locations GF * Damaged Transporter * Central Hall * First Sanctum * Second Sanctum Locations 1F * Banquet Hall * Kitchen Locations 2F * Battle Arena * Behemoth Nest Locations 3F * Arena Locations 4F * Great Canyon * Gravina Bridge Locations 5F * Corridor of Silence * Travalga Bridge * Basverg Belfry ; Points of Interest * Altar * Bone Pillar * Dragon Summon Enemies Minor Enemies * Babel Deinos * Babeli Barg * Caura Balgas * Cratere Nebula * Fiume Nebula * Gimran Egel * Newgate Laia * Obart Obart * Randa Nebula * Sanjibal Behemoth * Solare Nebula * Tored Ageshu * Uragano Nebula Unique Monsters * Abnormal Clone Barg * Ageless Moabit * Cold Ageshu * Fiendish Auburn * Inferno Heinrich * Majestic Clone Barg * Masterful Gigapur * Serene Imlaly Bosses * Demon Pavlovsk * Disciple Dickson * Dragon King Alcar * Master Obart * Obelis Obart Heart-to-Hearts * "Untold Feelings" ** Sharla and Melia - Heart Affinity * "Journey's End" ** Reyn and Riki - Heart Affinity * "Before the Final Battle" ** Shulk and Fiora - Heart Affinity Collectopaedia Quests Category:Bionis Locations Category:Prison Island Category:XC1 Areas